Real Madrid’s Trent Alexander-Arnold last featured for England in a match against Andorra in June.
England’s manager, Thomas Tuchel, intends to communicate with all players omitted from the squad. He aims to explain the reasoning behind his selections and outline the necessary steps for them to potentially secure a place in next summer’s World Cup roster.
Among those absent from the squad for this month’s qualifiers against Serbia and Albania were attacking midfielder Jack Grealish and right-back Trent Alexander-Arnold.
England secured a 2-0 victory over Albania on Sunday, concluding their qualification campaign atop Group K with a flawless record of eight wins and zero goals conceded.
Tuchel will conduct another training camp during March’s international break before announcing his squad for the World Cup, scheduled to take place from June 11 to July 19 across Canada, Mexico, and the United States.
“First and foremost, it is now my responsibility to connect with everyone,” Tuchel stated.
“To reach out to players like Trent, those on our extended list of 55 to 60 players, maintain contact, explain the reasons for their absence, and clarify the areas they need to improve.”
“To determine if there is anything they can actively do, or if it’s purely a matter of selection. This will be my focus in the coming weeks and months.”
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With Alexander-Arnold’s absence, Bayer Leverkusen’s Jarell Quansah earned his England debut at right-back against Albania in Tirana.
“Of course, I have great confidence in Jarell,” Tuchel affirmed.
“I recognize his talent, but also his overall package. He possesses height, speed, strength in build-up and aerial ability.”
“He has been playing every minute for Leverkusen since the Under-21 Euros, placing him slightly ahead at the moment.”
Experienced players like Luke Shaw, Harry Maguire, and Kyle Walker are also on the fringes of the squad, while Morgan Gibbs-White, Myles Lewis-Skelly, and Ruben Loftus-Cheek were omitted from the latest selection.
Tuchel also resisted the urge to include forward Danny Welbeck, who has recorded six goals in 11 Premier League appearances for Brighton this season.
When asked about the prospect of making numerous phone calls, Tuchel responded: “Yes, and I dislike phone calls.”
“FaceTime is preferable, allowing me to see expressions and gain a better sense of the person. Alternatively, I need to visit them at training grounds.”
“We can arrange group visits, perhaps to see Jude [Bellingham] and Trent. We can visit clubs, and for some, we will make calls. We’ll see.”
“Listen, we have just concluded this camp, and I believe it’s essential to reach out to everyone, including those we did not select regularly, to provide them with honest feedback on their current standing.”